Mounting bracket for parts containers and tool holders



y 18, 1965 G. L. DE'CACCIA 3,184,072

MOUNTING BRACKET FOR PARTS CONTAINERS AND TOOL HOLDERS Filed June 18, 1962 GODFEEVA. km

IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,184,072 MOUNTING BRACKET FER PARTS CQNTAENERS AND TGQL HULDERS Godfrey L. d Caccia, Long Beach, Chili, assignor, by

direct and mesne assignments, to Pendleton 'llool ludustries, Inc., Los Angeles, (Ialifi, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 18, 1962, Ser. No. 2%,324 6 Qlairns. (Cl. 211-86) This invention relates to a mounting bracket or unit for parts, accessories and tools to be employed at production stations in assembly lines and the like in manufacturing plants.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel mounting bracket structure for positioning parts containers, tools and other accessories so as to be readily accessible to production workers in assembly lines and the like, the mounting means being particularly adapted for efiicient use in connection with a production station frame structure such as shown in my application for patent entitled Production Station Unit, Serial No. 203,346, filed June 18, 1962.

It is another object of this invention to provide mounting means of the character described which includes related adjustable bracket components movable so as to position accessories, parts containers and the like in such a manner that production workers may have ready access thereto with a minimum of effort and movement, the bracket components being constructed so that they are adapted to mount different types of accessories in positions best suited to the particular production operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mounting means of the character described wherein related brackets or like elements for supporting parts, tools and accessories are adjustable so that different accessories such as a parts container and a tool holder may be supported by the mounting means in positions leaning toward and extending toward a production worker respectively, whether the worker is disposed to the right or left of the mounting means as a whole, it being possible to support a parts container unit in a position inclined from the vertical so as to lean toward a production worker positioned to the right or left of the unit and to adjust a related accessory supporting element of the unit so as to extend likewise generally toward the production worker in difierent positions relative thereto whereby the related accessories may be positioned best to suit a particular production operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a mounting unit embodying the present invention as it would appear when positioned on a part of a production station unit of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patent application;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3:-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the accessory shown in FIG. 1 as it would appear when removed from the mounting means and positioned on an upright member which forms a part of the production station unit shown in FIG. 1, the upright member being shown in section; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

A mounting bracket unit embodying the present invenarrears Patented May 1%, i365 ice tion as shown in the accompanying drawing, includes a base plate 1 having a mounting fixture 2 depending therefrom for detachably mounting the base plate on a support structure such as the horizontal side member 3 of a production station unit 4 only part of which is shown. The unit 4 forms the subject matter of my patent application hereinbetore noted.

The mounting fixture 2 includes a pair of U-shaped members 5 having laterally bent ends 6 Welded to the bottom of the plate 1 adjacent opposite edges of the latter. A pair of like cross bars 7 are extended one above the other transversely across and welded to the legs of the members 5 and have downwardly bent free ends forming hooks 8 disposed in outwardly spaced relation to the legs in position to be detachably hooked into slots or openings such as the slots 9 provided in the side member 3. Mounted in this manner, the plate 1 is disposed in upwardly spaced relation to the member 3 where the mounting means thereon, to be hereinafter described, may be conveniently employed to mount and support numerous accessories for use at a production station.

An elongate accessory supporting member 16 here shown in plate form is pivotally mounted on the plate 1 so as to extend outwardly therefrom subject to swinging to the right or left into different positions. At its outer end the plate in is provided with a downwardly directed flange it having slots 12 therein adjacent the joint thereof with the plate 10 to provide for detachably mounting thereon a tool holder or other accessory or element in a manner which will be hereinafter described. The plate it? is reduced in width toward its inner end where an opening 13 is provided to receive a hat headed pivot bolt 14 employed to swingably mount the plate ill on the plate 1. The base plate 1 is provided adjacent opposite side edges with openings 15 and 16 through either of which the pivot bolt may be extended to mount the plate it adjacent either side of the base plate. A wing nut 17 is turned on the bolt 14 to pivotally secure the bracket plate on the base plate 1.

Means are provided for releasably holding the swingable plate it) in different positions and for this purpose the plate id is provided with a protuberance intermediate its ends forming a detent 1% adapted to be engaged selectively in a row of openings 19 in the base plate 1. The plate in is somewhat resilient and the pivot means thereof is sufiiciently flexible to permit the small detent 18 to ride into and out of the openings l It should be noted that the swingable accessory supporting plate It is arranged to cooperate with a mounting bracket or device Ztl which is shown in my aforementioned pending application and arranged to be selectively positioned on the base plate 1 so that in either position in the present use thereof, this device will act as a stop to limit movement of the swingable plate whether the latter is mounted on one side edge or the other of the base plate. In this connection it is noted that the pivoted end of the plate it) is provided with angularly related edges 21 and 22 on opposite sides of the pivot axis so that in extreme positions of the plate ll), these edges will abut a part of the mounting device 2% thereby limiting movement of the plate 10.

The mounting device 28 as here shown, comprises an inverted U-shaped base member 23 having legs 24 and 25 of unequal length and a body portion 26 between the legs provided with openings 27 for a pair of bolts 28 that may be inserted through a pair of openings 29 or a simi lar pair of openings Bill in the base plate 1. Nuts 31 are turned on the bolts 28 to detachably secure the device 20 on the plate 1. The pair of openings 29 are located on the plate so that as shown in full lines in FIG. 1, the device 2% may be secured in a position corresponding to the position of the swingable plate 16 there shown. With the device in this position, the shorter leg 2'5 thereof is adjacent the pivoted end of the plate It so that the body portion 26 is inclined toward this plate. When the body portion 26 is positioned in this manner, a cylindrical upstanding socket member 33 Welded at its lower end to the body portion will be inclined toward the plate it) in the same manner as the upper surface of the body portion and a parts container or similar accessory indicated in .part at 34 in FIG. 2 and having a bearing member 35 rotatably mounted in the socket member 33 may be rotatably' supported in a position inclined or tilted toward a production worker toward Whom the plate 10 also extends. Notches 33' in the upper end of the socket member 33 are engageable by a member 34 on the structure 34 to hold the latter against turning from a predetermined tilted position. When the device 29 is positioned as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 1 the other pair of openings are employed to mount the device on the plate 1 and this adjustment is made when the plate it is pivoted on the other side of the plate 1 and is extended toward a production worker positioned to the left of the mounting unit as a whole.

A typical accessory which may be detachably mounted on the flange 11 of the swingable plate in as here shown, constitutes, for example, a tool holder 3d for supporting a reel 37 of solder and a reel 38 of binder cord. The main portion of the tool holder here shown may be made of a single length of wire or rod stock bent to provide a frame comprised of a pair of horizontally disposed laterally spaced upper parts 39 joined at their outer ends by a cross member 4t and having downwardly directed portions 4-1 at their inner ends from which a pair of horizontally disposed lower arms 42 are extended as the end portions of a single length of wire or red stock. The lower arms 42 serve as supports for the reels 37 and 38, the outer ends of these lower arms being bent upwardly as at 43 to hold the reels in place.

As a means for detachably mounting the tool holder 36 on the flange 11 of the swingable plate 16, a cross bar 44 is welded to the upper portions of the downwardly directed portions 41 and has its ends bent outwardly and downwardly to form hooks 45 that are engageable in the slots 12 in the flange 11. With this arrangement the tool holder 36 will be detachably supported on the flange with the downwardly directed portions 41 of the tool holder bearing against the outer face of the flange 11 to provide a stable support for the tool holder 36.

As a means for facilitating the unrceling of the solder the side member 3, for example, the upright member 52' shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, as supported by the end member 53 of the base structure. For this purpose the tool holder 36 is provided with a pair of hook members 54 welded to the central portion of the cross member 44 and similar slot engaging portions 56 on a rod 57 welded to a lower cross member 58, in turn welded to the lower portions of the downwardly directed portions 41. The hook portions 55 and similar elements 5'6 are adapted to engage in slots 59 formed at intervals in the upright member 52 as shown in FIG. 5.

It should be noted that the slotted flange 11 of the swingable plate 10, the side member 3 and the slotted upright member 52, or members, as the case may be, of the frame structure 4 are adapted to support various types of tool holders and parts containers, provided the latter, or brackets therefor, are equipped with hooks or like membars to engage in the slots in the flange 11 and above noted parts of the frame structure 4'.

While the specific details of an illustrative embodiment of the invention have been herein shown and described, changes and alterations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mounting bracket for supporting accessories at a production or assembly station, comprising: a base plate; means for mounting said base plate on a support so as to extend laterally outwardly therefrom; an accessory supporting plate; means operable for selectively pivotally mounting said accessory supporting plate at different 10- cations on said base plate with said accessory supporting plate extending outwardly from an edge of said base plate and movable about said pivot means to extend the accessory supporting plate in different directions from said base plate; a flange at a margin of said accessory supporting plate having openings therein aifording the attachment to said flange of an accessory; and detent means embodied in opposed surfaces of said plates at points spaced from said pivot means operable to releasably hold said accessory supporting plate in predetermined positions with respect to said base plate.

2. A mounting bracket for supporting accessories at a production or assembly station, comprising: a base plate; means for mounting said base plate on a support so as to extend laterally outwardly therefrom; an accessory supporting plate; means operable for selectively pivotally mounting said accessory supporting plate at difierent locations on said base plate with said accessory supporting plate extending outwardly from an edge of said base plate and movable about said pivot means to extend the accessory supporting plate in different directions from said base plate; a flange at a margin of said accessory supporting plate having openings therein affording the attachment to said flange of an accessory; a mounting device for supporting another accessory on said base plate; and means selectively operable to position said device on said base plate in positions predetermined according to the pivotal lolcation of said accessory supporting plate on said base p ate.

3. A mounting bracket for supporting accessories at a production or assembly station, comprising: a base plate; means for mounting said base plate on a support so as to extend laterally outwardly therefrom; said means for mounting said base plate including a mounting fixture depending from said base plate; hooks carried by said fixture for engagement with a support to mount said base plate thereon; said base plate having openings adjacent opposite margins thereof; an elongate accessory supporting plate having an opening adjacent one end thereof; pivot means engageable in said opening in said accessory supporting plate and in either of said openings in said base plate to pivotally mount said accessory supporting plate so as to extend laterally outwardly from said fixture and said base plate; and means on the other end of said accessory supporting plate affording the attachment of an accessory thereto.

4, A mounting bracket for supporting accessories at a production station, comprising: a base plate adapted to be mounted on a support; an elongate accessory supporting plate having an opening adjacent one end and a flange at its other end; said flange having openings therein for reception of means for attaching thereto an accessory; said base plate having an opening therein; pivot means insertible through said openings to pivotally mount said accessory supporting plate on said base plate; said accessory supporting plate being gradually reduced in width toward its pivoted end; and an accessory supporting device mounted on said base plate adjacent said pivoted end of said accessory supporting plate; said pivoted end having angularly related margins engageable with said device to limit pivotal movement of said accessory supporting plate relative to said base plate;

5. A mounting bracket for supporting accessories at a production or assembly station, comprising: a base plate; means for mounting said base plate on a support so as to extend laterally outwardly therefrom; an accessory supporting plate; means operable for selectively pivotally mounting said accessory supporting plate at different locations on said base plate with said accessory supporting plate extending outwardly from an edge of said base plate and movable about said pivot means to extend the accessory supporting plate in different directions from said base plate; a flange at a margin of said accessory plate having openings therein affording the attachment to said flange of an accessory; a mounting device for supporting another accessory on said base plate; and means selectively operable to position said device on said base plate in positions predetermined according to the pivotal location of said accessory supporting plate on said base plate; said accessory mounting device having a portion disposed to be engaged by said accessory supporting plate to limit pivotal movement of the latter relative to said base plate.

6. A mounting bracket for supporting accessories at a production station, comprising: a base plate adapted to be mounted on a support; an elongate accessory supporting plate having an opening adjacent one end and a flange at its other end; said flange having openings therein for reception of means for attaching thereto an accessory; said base plate having an opening therein; pivot means insertible through said openings to pivotally mount said accessory supporting plate on said base plate; a mounting device for another accessory; said mounting device including an inverted U-shaped member; an upright member fixed on the night portion of said U-shaped member; one of the legs of the U-shaped member being shorter than the other; and means for mounting said device on said base plate with said legs engaged with the base plate and the shorter leg adjacent the pivoted end of said accessory supporting plate whereby to incline said upright member toward said accessory supporting plate.

Reterences Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS 5 60, 143 5/96 Matthews 248282 X 2,162,919 6/39 McAulitle 21196 2,531,023 11/50 Berger 287-20 X 2,550,306 4/51 Soper 21186 X 2,561,102 7/51 Elleman 284-194 2,580,625 1/52 Waltz 21186 2,872,145 2/59 Goldscholl 248-223 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MOUNTING BRACKET FOR SUPPORTING ACCESSORIES AT A PRODUCTION OR ASSEMBLY STATION, COMPRISING: A BASE PLATE; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID BASE PLATE ON A SUPPORT SO AS TO EXTEND LATERALLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM; AN ACCESSORY SUPPORTING PLATE; MEANS OPERABLE FOR SELECTIVELY PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID ACCESSORY SUPPORTING PLATE AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON SAID BASE PLATE WITH SAID ACCESSORY SUPPORTING PLATE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM AN EDGE OF SAID BASE PLATE AND MOVABLE ABOUT SAID PIVOT MEANS TO EXTEND THE ACCESSORY SUPPORTING PLATE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS FROM SAID BASE PLATE; A FLANGE AT A MARGIN OF SAID ACCESSORY SUPPORTING PLATE HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN AFFORDING THE ATTACHMENT TO SAID FLANGE OF AN ACCESSORY; AND DETECT MEANS EMBODIED IN OPPOSED SURFACES OF SAID PLATES AT POINTS SPACED FROM SAID PIVOT MEANS OPERABLE TO RELEASABLY HOLD SAID ACCESSORY SUPPORTING PLATE IN PREDETERMINED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE PLATE. 